The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-01-27
SEA LIONS.
Fierce Looking but Timid
Beasts OF the Alaska Coast.
Their Great SiS, and Pe,uliariti IS - How
They are Captured.

Throughout the season on the seal
islands of Alaska says letter to the
Ptts5Hrg Dispatch, there is such roar
ing growing yelling and grunting both
day and night that at distance it
sounds like the Niagara Falls. This
noise is made up of the cries and blttlcs
OF the old bull seals, Ii ms and walruscs.
A full-grown sea lion measures from
eleven to twelve feet in length ard eight
to ten feet around his mighty chest. His
eye is not the soft, limpid, fearful eye
of the fur seal, but more the eye of the
bulldog. 1t shows the white in the
corners, and has fierce CLEAN. 1t is
covered with hair which is valucless as
fur, and has short grizzly name. Is
white, cleaning teeth showing against
the dark rcd of its wide, deep mouth
present very formidable appearance.
When the great size and weight Q2OO
pounds) are considered, the beast is
enough to brighten even stout hearts.
Fighting among themselves they are
terrible, but in the presence of man they
are as timid as hares. They constantly
keep sentincls on guard, and these give
the alarm upon the approach of danger,
when the whole herd stampcdes into the
sea. Although fierce fighters among
themselves, they do not modest the fur
seals, and the two seem to live comforta-
bly, together. The seals, however, have
wholesome fear of the lions.
During the season the seals never go
near the water, and neither eat nor
drink for nearly three months; but it is
not so with the lions. They are always
between the seals and the sea, and arc
constantly sporting in the water. When
on shore, they lie among the rocks in
all sorts Of shapes, Just as the stones
happen to be; and as their spines are
built on the bull and socket plan, being
therefore, v-ry pliab.e, they are com.
Portable and easy in positions which are
distressing to look upon.
In the water the grace of all this fami y
is manifest. They swim with perfect
ease, striking with their forward flippcrs
and guiding themselves by means of the
hind ones. The fur seal swims often
with his head high out of the water and
turns his head from one side, looking for
friends, but the sea lions and walruses
only come to the surface occasionally for
air. swimming few feet beneath the sur
face. They are never happy as during q
gale, when the breakers are rolling in.
They may be seen riding high upon the
crest of the breaker, dividing just before it
dissolves in foam, to appear upon an
other and ride 1t to land.
Having no fur the sea lion is not of
any use to us, but the natives prize it
highly. They cover the bottom of their
boats with its hide, make the best Of
waterproof clothing of its intestincs
dried and sewed together, make OF
pouches of its stomach and cat the flesh
That OF the old bulls is said to be rank
and fishy, but the young pups, whcr
roasted, satisfy the palatcs of the mos
fastidious. The natives, however, striI
the carcass and hang it up, where
it stays from November to the
following May. They cut off what
they want, and it may be easily believed
that towards the last it gets decidedly
cloud" However, like lovers of game
they profess to like it better the ripper il
gets.
Whc,: the sea lions are sleeping the
natives slyly crawl between them ant
the water, and when a number ar,
thus cut off from the sea they rise W
and wave flags, shout, fire guns ant
make terrible row, which so frightens
the lions that they run Or wiggle up tn
shore and are driven inland. 1t is pc
culiarity however, that whatever wa,
their heads happen to point, tina
is the way they run, and everything ant
everybody must stand out of the way O
berun down. After they have gone {
little distance they fall, exhausted ant
painting, upon the ground. Then tn
drivers urge them on by every means
The principal thing to scare then
is hosting blue gingham umbrella il
their faces. They cannot stand this ant
will move on with frightened aspect.
After sufficient number are caugh
they are Grounded up" and stake
driven all around them, upon which ar
placed flags and strings from on
stake to another. So cowardly arc tn
beasts that they never attempt to hrcal
out of these miserable pens, but huddl,
together in crawling, wriggling mass
The old bulls have found cut durin
the "driyc' that man is not so vcr
formidable, and they are not SO muc'
afraid OF them. The COWS are killed b
long spears, which are thrust into thei
hearts, but no one ever ventures nca
enough the bull for that, and they are
therefore, shot.
The Window Glass Industry.
Window glass was first made in tn
United States al P.ttsburr in 1895. 4